The Sweetest of Devotion
by DetectiveMinerva
Summary: When her great-nephew Frank is born, Jessica's heart is put in motion all over again, and she vows to love him with a mother's love, always and forever.


For once, I'm not writing about Seth and Jessica! This little ficlet, a follow-up of sorts to "The Sezhuan Dragon," focuses on Jessica's thoughts and feelings upon meeting her newborn great-nephew for the first time. The inspiration for this ficlet is Amy Grant's amazing song "Baby Baby," which is about a mother's love for her child. I have no doubt that Jessica would love little Frank just like a mother, with the sweetest of devotion!

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 _June 1990, St. Michael's Hospital, New York City, 9pm_

"Aunt Jess! I thought you'd never get here!"

Jessica laughed as her nephew swung her off her feet in a bear hug. "Not even two days, and fatherhood is already making you impatient!"

Grady set his aunt back down and grinned ear-to-ear. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't wait for you to get here after we called you!"

"I got here as fast as I could. Seth wasn't exactly Mario Andretti on the way to the airport, but…" Jessica spread her hands. "Here I am! How's Donna?"

"Tired, but happy. Me, I'm just relieved they're both all right. When they said the baby was stuck, I nearly had a heart attack. The next thing I knew, a doctor was waking me up, so…" Grady had the grace to blush. "I guess I fainted. Maybe I should've taken Dr. Hazlitt's advice and taken a sedative."

Jessica chuckled. "As long as you didn't hurt your head, I'm not worried, although Seth would beg to differ if he were here." She paused, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Now that I know you and Donna are all right, how's the little one?"

Grady's grin broke out again. "Come see for yourself." He took his aunt's hand and led her down a series of hallways, until they stopped at a door in the maternity ward. "Go on," he said, his blue eyes warm. "I think he's been waiting for you, too."

Jessica squeezed Grady's hands and made her way into the spacious room. Sitting in a cozy hospital bed, surrounded by flowers, cards, and balloons, was Donna, who beamed at the sight of her aunt-in-law. In her arms, she held a tiny blue bundle of blankets. "Hi, Aunt Jess! Someone wants to see you." As Jessica approached, Donna shifted the blanket to reveal the baby's face. "Aunt Jess, this is your great-nephew, Frank Thomas Fletcher."

The name froze Jessica, who stared first at Donna, then at Grady, with wide eyes. "You named him after your uncle?" she asked, feeling her heart swell with gratitude.

"We sure did," Grady said, wrapping Jessica up in a hug. "Now you know why we wanted to keep his name a surprise."

Jessica smiled through tears of joy. She'd wondered why there was so much mystery when Grady and Donna chose to keep mum about their son's name. Now she knew: they were naming him after Grady's uncle, her late husband Frank. "What a wonderful surprise. I know Frank would be proud."

Grady looked heavenward. "I just wish he was here."

"I think he is." Jessica turned to the baby and touched a finger to his cheek. "I see him in this sweet boy… and in his father." Her smile was warm. "He'll always live on."

Blinking back her tears, Donna held little Frank out to Jessica. "Would you like to hold him?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Jessica chuckled as the baby was gently placed in her arms. She stroked Frank's round, soft cheek again, and he opened his eyes in response, peering at her through a newborn's sleepy gaze. A dusting of blond hair covered his little head, his eyes were a bright blue, and his tiny hand reached out from the blanket to grip Jessica's finger.

"Hello to you, too," Jessica cooed to him, kissing the top of his head. "You are so beautiful."

"I hope he'll have Donna's hair," Grady piped up.

"It's just fuzz right now. You never know what color it might turn out to be," Donna said. "He definitely has your eyes, though."

"Your uncle's lovely eyes," Jessica said next. "And he's so soft and sweet. He's absolutely perfect."

Evidently little Frank liked that, for he burrowed closer into Jessica's chest as though concurring. Jessica laughed and kissed his head again, her heart so full she thought it might burst. "And you know it, don't you?" She gave his head a third kiss, breathing in his sweet baby scent. "I love you, Frankie. So much." The tender love she felt seemed bigger than her heart could possibly hold - like it could stretch from the sky to the depths of the ocean and beyond. It was the same love she had felt for Grady since he was a little boy; the love of a mother, now the love of a grandmother. When Grady had come to live with her and Frank after his parents died, she vowed she would love him with every ounce of devotion she had. "I'll love you just like I've always loved your father: with the sweetest of devotion."

"No doubt about that," Grady said, sitting on the bed beside Donna and taking her hand in his. He grinned at his wife. "Save for the love of God, there's no love stronger than Aunt Jess's love. She's always there for you, no matter if it's raining or sunny outside, and she'll never give up on you," he whispered.

"Boy, you said it," Donna replied, watching Jessica rock little Frank in her arms, humming a soft melody. "Remember when we first got engaged? She didn't even know me, but she fought to protect me like I was her own. And then at our wedding, and just last month when we found the body in her house… not even a strongman could stop her love for us." Her gaze continued to rest on Jessica, who seemed not to have heard a word they said. "Do you think she's listening to us? Normally, she'd be telling us to cut out the praise right about now."

"I think she's off in her own little world with Frankie," Grady said, likewise observing his aunt. "But that's a good thing. He makes me feel the same way." He heard Jessica murmur, "Oh, baby, baby," to little Frank, and he smiled. "He's got her wrapped around his little finger."

It was true. Jessica was lost in a dream world, singing and talking to her great-nephew. She brought little Frank close to the window and gazed up at the sky. "Someday, Frankie, I'll show you the night sky in Cabot Cove, and I'll take you for a walk through the forest. You can't see the stars now because of all the city lights, but they're all shining for you, because they adore you just like I do. And when we walk in the woods, all the birds will sing for you." She kissed little Frank's cheek. "I love you, sweet baby."

While Grady and Donna looked on, Jessica continued to cuddle the baby, reveling in all the joy she felt. Her great-nephew had set her heart in motion all over again, and there was just no getting over him. _Thank you,God, for this blessing in my arms. I'll be here for him, always and forever. You can count on it._


End file.
